Album: Apollo Kids
Producers: Frank Dukes, Sean C & LV, et al.
Release Date: December 21, 2010
Review: In case you were wondering? Yes, one sixth of the Map of Shaolin so far is just albums by Ghostface Killah. Apollo Kids is his ninth, and he shows no signs of stopping. In fact, not only did he release two more albums since Apollo Kids on the original planned Map (his Sheek Louch collaboration Wu Block and the comic-themed 12 Reasons to Die), Ghost is currently prepping the release of his third album since last December. Seriously, go look him up - he did 36 Seasons in December, Sour Soul with Badbadnotgood in February, and now he's finalizing 12 Reasons to Die II for a July release as his 13th solo album (14th if you count Wu Block) in 19 years. This is one prolific motherfucker, and he's definitely had his highs (Supreme Clientele, Fishscale) and his lows (Ghostdini). Fortunately, Apollo Kids is mostly killer, little filler. Also, since the album varies so much from track to track I'm going to jump around a lot to tidy up this retrospective.
It's clear from the get-go that this an entirely different beast from Ghost's previous album, the R&B-themed Ghostdini: Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City. As I mentioned in my review of Ghostdini, I'm not a big R&B fan, so take it with a grain of salt, but I'm thrilled to see Ghost get back in front of some serious hip-hop beats for his rhyming. In my opinion, the biggest crime Ghostdini committed was that, by its very nature of being a more commercial R&B adventure, it sounded over-produced and syrupy to my ears. It stands in stark contrast (no pun intended) to Apollo Kids, which regularly uses 1980s music and according rap styles to give off a retro vibe.
For example, "Starkology" samples Tears For Fears' "Shout," along with some turntablism and four-on-the-floor drums. Although a better sample use is in "Black Tequila," where producer Frank Dukes borrows a clip from 1981's "Jogan Ban Gayi" performed by Indian singer Asha Bhosle. Then again, the accompanying flanged electric guitar makes the whole track sound like an outing by Ennio Morricone from the '60s, if Morricone used New York hip-hop to hype his Spaghetti Westerns. That goes double on "In Tha Park," where the cheap-sounding distorted guitar could've sneaked out from Quentin Tarantino's record collection. However, bouncing back to the 1980s, "In Tha Park" also keeps the '80s theme going with the hook "Hip-hop: we sit out in the park / Hip-hop: we sit out in the park / Hip-hop: we sit out in the park / ...We used to do it out in the dark!" Very old-school.
Of course, we do hear some of the more recent Wu-Tang sound we've come to expect, with classic soul samples and tambourines setting up a '70s vibe on "Purified Thoughts" (featuring spots by Killah Priest and GZA) and "2getha Baby." A similar sound with pitch-raised vocal samples is utilized on "Street Bullies," whereas "Ghetto" came from the same spirit as "The Big Payback" and has great sung vocals about making your way in life while living in the ghetto. Those lyrics, a sample of Marlena Shaw, also remind one of "Little Ghetto Boys" from Wu-Tang Forever. "Ghetto" also gets points for contributions from Raekwon, Cappadonna and U-God. They're not the most noteworthy verses any of them have ever written, but it's good to hear familiar voices and none of them subtract from the overall product.
The album closes with "Troublemakers" featuring Raekwon (who fares better here than on "Ghetto"), Method Man and Redman. Raekwon fires off sick lines like "One knee up, G up all the re-up / Hope we can pull it back, my throat the only weapon, blow the beat up." Method Man wraps the album up with a verse that sticks with one rhyme for the first half: "Fiends get killed in my hallway, we parlay / My feet been killing me all day / Your boy down for lot like them killas in RahWay / It's all work and no play, 'cuz this block ain't nothin' like Broadway." Solid finale to a very listenable album.
Ghost's lyrics also seem like a throwback, whether to his early days in the Wu or the 1980s sound exemplified in the music and the album art. While we're on the subject of "Troublemakers," look at the opening to Ghost's verse: "Stuff Brillo pads in the ratholes / Reduce that faggot-ass nigga who wanna jump like a frog to a tadpole." It's the type of far-reaching but satisfactory imagery that made him notable on Enter the Wu-Tang or Cuban Linx... Or take a look at "How You Like Me Baby," which Ghost raps with an enthusiastic pop reminiscent of '80s rap. "Represent Stapleton, raised in the West! / 780 Anderson, now I'm the best!"
But for all its satisfactory look into yesteryear and maintaining of the '00s Wu-Tang sound, I'll admit a couple songs slip under my radar. "Drama" and "Handcuffin' Them Hoes" are definitely listenable but they don't stick in my head the way other tracks do. The hook on "Superstar" wears out its welcome even before Busta Rhymes comes on, and he starts less than two minutes in. Even "Street Bullies," which really sounds fine, is far from my favorite song on the record. Despite a few meandering numbers, though, Apollo Kids is definitely engaging and entertaining throughout. I honestly love about half the album, then there are two or three songs that I'd put in "really good" territory, then just a couple that don't light my fire (although they're far from being unlistenable or even a bit crappy). So it's not Ghost's single best record, but it's a great listen overall.
Legacy: Apollo Kids earned positive reviews from most critics (including the increasingly fickle Pitchfork), and they're well-deserved. Personally, it's really cool to hear some of the fuller, more live-sounding retro cuts on here (like "Purified Thoughts") that segue well between 1) Ghost using the modern Wu sound and 2) the type of thing he'd delve into further on subsequent releases like 12 Reasons to Die and Sour Soul. Then, on a related note, in the grand scheme of things we can look back starting with Ghostdini and see Ghostface working on albums with a really cohesive theme (even if Ghostdini wasn't my thing). It's worked well for him ever since, especially here with a '60s-to-'80s-inspired record all the way up through his 2015 releases. Apollo Kids is the rebirth of GFK, who's found his niche with concept records and unified sounds more in the last five years than at any other time in his career.
Recommended Tracks: Black Tequila, Troublemakers.
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